Clare Press is the journalist, author and filmmaker behind the sustainable fashion podcast WARDROBE CRISIS, based on her book with the same name. She also co-hosts the UN’s Ethical Fashion podcast with Simone Cipriani. Formerly, Clare was the first ever Vogue sustainability editor.

Craft and creation have been Pieter Mulier’s calling since his childhood when he used to spend time in the ateliers of his grandfather’s luxury shirt manufacture in Belgium. In 2016, he moved to NYC as Global Creative Director along with RAF SIMONS at Calvin Klein, to lead the creative teams of an iconic and generational brand until 2019. In February 2021, ALAÏA appoints Pieter Mulier as Creative Director, to perpetuate Azzedine Alaïa’s quest of perfection and singular vision of fashion.

Doug Stephens, RETAIL PROPHET, bestselling author and founder of the global consultancy Retail Prophet. On our main stage he will provide an incisive look into the future of retail in a post-COVID-19 world, where only brands and businesses who remodel and embrace this new landscape will prosper.

Fashion Talks is happy to announce as main stage speaker: founder and creative director of Belgian streetwear label ARTE ANTWERP, Bertony Da Silva! This local hero will appear for the first time on a conference stage at Fashion Talks. Bertony was interviewed by Marie Guérin, editor-in-chief of ELLE Belgique.

Marie Guérin is editor-in-chief of ELLE Belgique/ België. For her fashion is the sweet spot where art meets function but is also an industry that faces many challenges (sustainability, diversity, technology etc). Marie Guérin truly believes that an international magazine has a strong role to play in these developments by questioning, investigating, and acting!

Chris Dercon is an art historian, CURATOR and MUSEUM DIRECTOR. The current president of the Réunion des Musées Nationaux-Grand Palais, he has been the director of Volksbuhne Theater, Tate Modern, Haus der Kunst, and Boijmans Van Beuningen.

Venya Brykalin has worked in fashion retail and freelanced as a stylist and journalist for Elle, L'Officiel and L'Officiel Hommes. In 2017, Venya joined VOGUE UKRAINE as fashion editor and later became the fashion director. On our main stage, Venya Brykalin has interviewed Chris Dercon on the topic 'Inside and outside fashion: facing a new reality'.

André Pelgrims is the founder and DIRECTOR of TAKING WING, a company focused on coaching other businesses, leaders and teams. He aims to give people wings, to provide power to teams and stimulate sustainable entrepreneurship. André Pelgrims has talked about 'The road to courageous leadership'.

FASHION DESIGNER Jan-Jan Van Essche is born in Antwerp, graduated from the Antwerp Academy and has his studio in Antwerp. With his label he aims to develop new insights on contemporary yet effortless male and genderless elegance. For Fashion Talks, Jan-Jan Van Essche has joined the debate "How to Fix Overconsumption: a debate about profit, doubt and what we leave behind", with Vanessa Bruno and Laura Larbalestier, and moderated by Anja Aronowsky Cronberg.

The French FASHION DESIGNER Vanessa Bruno founded her brand in Paris in 1996. Inspired by Parisian women and influenced by her mother's Danish culture, she instantly stood out with her premium, effortlessly boho chic infused wardrobe. For Fashion Talks, Vanessa Bruno has joined the debate 'How to Fix Overconsumption: a debate about profit, doubt and what we leave behind' with Jan-Jan Van Essche and Laura Larbalestier, and moderated by Anja Aronowsky Cronberg.

Laura Larbalestier is the Buying and Fashion Director of HARVEY NICHOLS and oversees womenswear, menswear, childrenswear and accessories . Previously, Laura worked at Browns and Selfridges. For Fashion Talks, Laura Larbalestier has joined the debate 'How to Fix Overconsumption: a debate about profit, doubt and what we leave behind' with Jan-Jan Van Essche and Vanessa Bruno, and moderated by Anja Aronowsky Cronberg.

Anja Aronowsky Cronberg founded VESTOJ, the platform for critical thinking on fashion, in 2010, and until recently also worked as a Senior Research Fellow in Fashion Theory and Practice at London College of Fashion. For Fashion Talks she will moderate the debate 'How to Fix Overconsumption: a debate about profit, doubt and what we leave behind' with Jan-Jan Van Essche, Vanessa Bruno and Laura Larbalestier.

Osman Ahmed studied at Central Saint Martins in London. Currently he is the Fashion Features DIRECTOR at i-D magazine, and has written about style for magazines including Vogue, The New York Times and Vanity Fair. For Fashion Talks, Osman Ahmed has interviewed the new Creative Director at Alaïa, Pieter Mulier, on our main stage.

Aster Nzeyimana is a journalist, presenter and TV-personality. He has been presenting sports news on national television since 2016 and is a big lover of Belgian fashion. For Fashion Talks 2021, Aster Nzeyimana has been your host on our main stage.